Trailer hitch



Feb. 3, 1948. p CHAFFIN 2,435,383

TRAILER HITCH Filed oct. 11, 194e 2 sheets-sheet 1 2 3 P A UL cf/A ff//V JNVENToR.

f BY 6 ATTURNEY 1 Feb. 3, 1948. P, CHAFHN 2,435,383

TRAILER HITCH Filed OGC. ll, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 p55 f-W Patented Feb. 3, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRAILER BITCH Paul Champ, Harrstown, Ill.

Application October 11, 1946, Serial No. '102,838

7 Claims, (Cl. 28o-33.44)

This invention relates to trailer hitches and has for one of its objects to produce a hitching device of strength and durability, which is simple in structure, of light weight, possessing positive locking features, and having provision for movability and yieldability in its structure so as to compensate during road travel for differences in movement of its parts and those of the automobile or motor vehicle to which the trailer is attached and thereby drawn.

Other objects to be attained will hereinafter more fully appear in the following description,

A practical but non-limiting exempliiication of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the hitch assembly with the tail extension or draft-bar broken apart to fore-shorten the View;

Figure 2 is a front end view of the assembly;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view with the bitching-head of the device shown in dotted lines as turned at a. right angle about the axis of the tail extension or draft-bar;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the assembly looking downward from above andA from the front thereof;

Figure 5 is a perspective view looking upward from below and from the rear of the assembly;

Figure 6 is a side view of the clamping element detached;

Figure 7 is a bottom plan View of the hitch assembly with the contiguous end portions of a trailer draft frame shown in dotted line; and

Figure B is a fragmentary side elevational View similar to Figure 3 but showing the movable lock.- ing elements in opened and unlocked positions.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the numeral I0 designates the tail extension or draftbar of the device. The same is somewhat elongated and, obviously, may be either solid or tubular, as desired. This member I0, in practice, is mounted to rotate about its longitudinal axis. For this purpose, as shown, the tail extension or draft-bar I0 is supported rotatably at its rearward end in a rectangular bearing block or member II and adjacent its forward end in a similar bearing iitting l2. These bearing fittings II, I 2 or other suitable and equivalent members, are welded or otherwise suitably secured Xedly to a central longitudinal member .(indicated by dotted lines as at I3 in Figure 7 of the drawings) of a draft frame of a trailer, for example such asV shown in detail in a separate application iiled and pending .concurrently herewith. In this exempliiication (see Figure 7) the forward bearing fitting I2 is secured to the middle frame member I3 at the apex of its junction with a pair of convergeht side members I4 of the draft frame.

The forward end of the tail extension or draftbar IIJ is welded, as at I15, to the inner face of the vertical iiange of an L-shape cross-head member I6 (see Figures 5 and 7) Iihe side of the forward end portion of draft-bar l0 is `further welded as at I'I (see Figure 5) to the inner face of the horizontal top flange of the cross-head member I6.

4Located one on each side of the forward end portion of the tail extension or draft-bar I0 is a pair of channeled members or blocks I8 whose side face portions are welded to the adjacent inner face portions of the vertical and horizontal top anges of the -crossfhead member I6, as at I9. The inner ends of these blocks or members I8 arie' also welded, as at 2.0, to the opposite sides .of the forward ,end portion of the draft-bar I0.

The provision of the channel members or blocks I8 not only reinforces the cross-head member I6' but the welding of the inner ends of said members I8 to the sides of the adjacent end portion of the draft-,bar I0, ,as at 2D, greatly strengthens the attachment lof the cross-head member I6 to the draft-bar I0.

Fitted longitudinally slidable through apertures 2| in the iront vertical flange of the crosshead'member I6 (see Figure 4) is a pair of lock members 22 having hooked forward ends 2.3. These hooked ends 23 of the members 22 are provided to engage a suitable attaching keeper which is provided on the rear vend portion of an automobile or tractive motor vehicle. As indicated as an illustrative example and more `or less schematically in Figures l, 2and 3, a conventional crossbar 24` may be provided `on the ,motor vehicle for engagement by hooked portions 23 of the lock members 22. However, as just above stated, ether suitable means may be provided for the pur DOSE.

' Each lock member 212, in its locking position, is held parallel and cjloseto the under face of the horizontal top flange of the cross-head member 4Ii (see Figure 3), 1n this relative position ofthe member 2 2 the member is retractedlongitudinally so that the hooked end @3 thereof is close to the vertical front flange of said member I6 and thus is in 'locking relation to hold the engaged keeper bar 24. 11n this relation, a ylug 25'on the lock member 122 is engaged behind the outer edge of the horizontal top flange of the cross-head member I6 (see Figure 3) andvthus holds the lock memb er '2 2' fromforward longitudinal movement.

At the outer end of Vthe "lock member 22 is a the members 2'! -canbe made to move togetherV or simultaneously the one with and by the other.;v`

By this provision, the lever members 2`| may be simultaneously rocked up and down on their piv-v ots 28, thereby moving the lock members 22 into and out of locking position at the will of anL operator for readily and quickly attaching ,and detaching the trailer to and from the motor vehicle.

To securely hom the locking memberszz their locking position and release the same, atl will, an angular clamping element 3| is provided, 20

One leg of this angular member 3| is vertically disposed and made to rest on the horizontal top flange of the cross head memberlt, and a screw element 32 has a swivel-fitting 33 through a bearing hole in the horizontal other leg of said clamping member 3|, while the threaded portion of the screw is fitted in a, counterpart threaded opening 3d in the horizontal top ange of the cross-head member I6. The screw 32 is providedA l with a manipulating wheel or the like 35 at its upper end. Y l

As the horizontal leg of the clamping member 3| overhangs the cross-connecting bar 30 of the lever members 21, the clamping member 3|, by the tightening of the screw 32. holds the lever members 21 `in their closed position and the lockv members 22 in their retracted locking position; By the same token, when the screw 32 is loosened and the cross-connecting bar 30 is raised, the lock members 22 are moved forwardly so that their hooked ends 23 are then disengageable from the keeper bar 24 on the motor vehicle.

From the foregoing it is apparent that a positive draft connection;v is possible between a motor vehicle and a trailer truck, yet Athe rotative mounting of the tail extension or draft-barili is such that certain independent movement is afforded both motorvehicle and trailer truck sov as to compensate for unevenness inthe roadway. Thus danger of undue strain upon either the motor vehicle or the trailer truck -is avoided or at least greatly minimized.` v

The illustrated construction and arrangementV is but one exempliiication of the'invention Vand modiiication and changes are contemplatedfwithin the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the specific construction and arrangement shown.

What is claimed is:

1. A trailer hitch comprising an elongated draft-.bar mountable with freedom of rotation about its longitudinal axis on the trailer, said draft-bar having a hitching cross-head at its forward end, a pair of longitudinally movable and upwardly and downwardly swingable lock members located respectively'on said cross-head adjacent opposite ends of the same, the forward ends of said lock membersv having keeper-engageable hooks, lever members hingedly mounted` Y on said cross-head in substantially parallel relation above said lock members, an operative connection between the rearward ends of said lock members and said lever members whereby movement of the lever members imparts either an opening or closing movement to said lock alisase members depending upon the direction of movement of said lever members, and a releasable clamping member on said cross-head holding said lever members in the closed position of said lever members and that of said lock members and for,V

releasing both sets of members, at will. Y

2. A hitch provision as set forth in claim 1, wherein the cross-head is of L-shape in cross section and the lock members are tted longitudinally slidable uthrough openings provided in a vertically disposed front flange of the cross-head and are swingable up and down from their sup-Y port in such openings, said lock members in locking position being lifted closely adjacent the under side rof the horizontally disposed opposite flange of nthe cross-head and each lock member -lliaving a'lug-por'tionlto engage behind the outer ,l edgeY of `said horizontal cross-head ange in the closed position of the lock members and the lever members at the time said lever members rest on the topfv side ofther horizontal iiange of the cross- .head." i p I 3. Atrailer truck' "hitch provision adapted more particularly for a caster-type twin-wheeled trailerA 25 truck` to beV attachedto a motorfvehicle having a gtransver'se, rhorizontal bar-type, attachable keeper element'fpat itsrear end, such hitch pro- Y vision comprising Aa longitudinal draft-bar hav--VV ing bearing ttings Yfor supporting it longitudinally fixed medially on the trailer'truck but enablingrotation of the bar about its longitudinal axis, a cross-head l'lxedly'onthe forward end of-Y said draft-bar, a pairrof laterally's'paced apart onopposite sides of said draft-bar, said lock members ,having hookedV forward end portions projected ahead of said cross-head and each lock member being ,supportedl longitudinally slidable on the ,crossLhead'and with freedom of up-'and- 40 down swinging movement'thereon, a, pair of cooperative leverv members :mounted pivotally o'n said cross-head and located one each Vin. working relation to one of said lockmembers, a hinged connection between each lever member and .its companion lockmember whereby a rocking move# ment of the lever member imparts a combined longitudinal and up or down swinging movement to the'companion lock'member so as to open or close thelock member dependingupon the d1- 4. A hitch provisionfas set forth in claim 3,

wherein the cross-head on the draft-bar is of L shape in cross section. and one ofiits flanges is vertically'disposed and vthe other flange thereof is horizontal, the vertical flange having apertures i therein and the respective lock members are itted slidably andV swingably supported in said aper' tures, and the lever members and the clamp means are located on the horizontal ilangeof the crosshead; Y `5. VA trailer truck hitch,"the same comprising a draft-barhaving provision for itsA mounting longitudinally andmedially on the trailer truck, said draft-bar being iixed against longitudinal movement but, capable,V of rotative movement about its longitudinal axis-lin itsmounting, a rigid rection of movement of the lever member, cross' connecting ,meansY between said'lever members Y cross-head on the forward end of said draft-bar, and lock members with releasable holding means on said cross-head, said lock members having attaching provision at their forward ends for detachable engagement with a keeper provision on the rear end of a tractive motor vehicle whereby the draft-bar is capable of up-and-down swinging movement from the attached keeper provi- Sion.

6. A trailer truck hitch, the same comprising a draft-bar having provision for its mounting longitudinally and medially on the trailer truck, said draft-bar being fixed against longitudinal movement but capable of rotative movement about its longitudinal axis in its mounting, a rigid cross-head on the forward end of said draftbar, a spaced apart pair of longitudinally movable and vertically swingable lock members on said cross-head, the lock members being located one at each side of the draft-bar, lever means on said cross-head for moving said locking members into and out of locking position, said lock members having attaching provision at their forward ends for detachable engagement with a transverse bar-type of keeper provision on the rear end of a' tractive motor vehicle whereby the draft-bar is capable of up-and-down swinging movement from the attached keeper provision,

and clamp means on said cross-head for releasably holding said lever means.

7. A trailer truck hitch comprising a draftbar mounted longitudinally fixed on the trailer truck but with freedom of rotative movement about its longitudinal axis, a rigid cross-head on the forward end portion of said draftbar. said cross head being of L-shape in its crosssection and with one flange thereof vertically and forwardly disposed and its other flange horizontally disposed and at the top thereof, the draftbar being welded at its forward end to the inner face of the vertical flange of the cross-head and Welded at its side adjacent its end to the inner face of the horizontal top flange of the crosshead, reinforcing blocks located on opposite sides of the forward end portion of said draft-bar and welded at their sides to the adjacent inner face portions of the flanges of said cross-head, the inner ends of said reinforcing blocks being welded to the adjacent side portions of the draft-bar, and means on the cross-head for detachably connecting the cross-head to the rear end of a tractive motor vehicle.

PAUL CHAFFIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

4 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

